The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-05
ANorEER BoMB-rHRowEK.

Pittsburg Comes Along with Its Regular
Semi-WeeIxly Sensation.
PIrTsBURG, Pa, Nov. 4-Yesterday Thomas
Owens, an unpretentious carpenter. at work on
no use at Homestead. fell from the roof of the
building and broke his neck. Squire Oeffner
was deputized to hold an Inquest. and to-day
made a report of his investigation. Owens, the
deceased. 1t appears, came to this city about one
year ago, some two or three days after the Hay
market riot at Chicago, in a somewhat diiapi-
dated condition. representing himself to be a
carpenter out of q job. He at once secured
work at Homestead with ]. r. Mullet. and for
the past year has been working steadily along
side of man named Piper, or Pfeffer, also a
carpenter. When Owens began work he said
he had Just come from Chicago, where be had a
brother living, and seemed nervous and startled
at everything. One day while Pfeffer and
Owens were at work an officer came to
Homestead in search of a a charge of
desertion. Seeing Owens. and not knowing what
his man looked like. the officer asked Mr.. Mullet
who Owens was, and was told, whereupon he
went away. The men at work heard that the
officer had asked who Owens was. and out of
mischief told him that an officer had been after
him. He became very much excited, and went
TO Mr.. Mullet at once, wanting what pay was
due him, and expressing desire to get away
from Homestead soon as possible, but when
assured he was not the man the officer wanted,
he went to work again, seemingly coutented.
roomiDg we'll as working in his company, and
at the first opportunity began systematic in
quiry CT Owens to his cause of alarm. In his
conversation Pfeffer yesterday swore before
Squire Oeffper, inlthe course of the inquest that
Thomas Owens said: Il am very sorry for those
Anarchists in Chicago who are wv in Jail charged
with throwing bombs at the Haymarket riot.
There are Others outside who are more to blame
than they. was at the Haymarket riot. and
am an Anarchist, and say that l threw bomb
in that riot" Pfeffer was cautioned to keep the
statement a secret. and for that reason he did
not tell the story until after the death of Owens
The way the story happened to come out was
that all the men employed on the building were
standing around the SQuires Office, having been
summoned there as witnesses in the Owens in
quest, and while there Pfeffer and Mullet began
talking of this story
II heard their remarks" said the Squire to a
Chronicle Telegraph reporter, this morning,
land Immediately called Pfeffer to the stand,
swore him. and. although it had nothing to do
with the cause of Owens's death, yet under oath
he told the story have just related"
The singular story Of the man Owens was
this afternoon. Mr.. Piper mot Pfeffer),
stated in the previous dispatch. who worked
with Owens, says that his testimony before the
coroners inquest was substantially as
reported. Owens, he says, was man about
twenty eight years of age, and said to him that
he belonged to the same group of Anarchists
Spies and Parsons; that he present at the
Haymarket meeting, handled the bomb and was
close to the man who threw it. Impressed by
the statement of Piper, the Squire made an ex-
animation of the effects of the deceased. In his
trunk were found a number of letters. of
which was from his sister in Chicago, warning
him to keep away from all Socialists, as they
had been the cause of ell his trouble Another
letter from a brother. cautioning him not
to write home for fear his letters might be In
terceDted and his whereabouts thus revealed;
that his old home was watched, and ad vising him
to act with caution, and put great distance
between himself and Chicago as possible.